Rockwell could play a father whose family must fight to bring his youngest daughter, Madison, back to the land of the living after she is trapped between plains by a sinister spirit that has taken over their new home. The Moon star is said to be keen on the lead role in a remake which is being produced by horror maestro Sam Raimi.

Tobe Hooper's 1982 film, which spawned two sequels, famously had Steven Spielberg on board as a very hands-on producer. It is also known for the so-called "Poltergeist curse", with four cast members having died in the six years between the releases of the first and third films in the series. Most notable was Heather O'Rourke – the Freeling family's haunted young daughter Carol Anne – who died in 1988 at the age of 12 from an illness eventually diagnosed as cardiac arrest caused by septic shock.

All being well, the new version is due to film in late 2013 for a release next year. Monster House's Gil Kenan is directing from a script by Oz: The Great and Powerful's David Lindsay-Abaire. Rosemarie DeWitt will play the female lead.